Over the top and now down Lowe?
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Dec 10, 2008 
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Now that CC Sabathia has made his decision, the other top-tier starting pitchers will make their moves. SI.com is reporting that the Yankees are making a run at Derek Lowe.
It makes for several reasons: Lowe is more durable than A.J. Burnett or Ben Sheets, has experience in the AL East, has performed well in the postseason and would probably take a four-year deal.
I’m sure most sane fans realize this. But signing Sabathia takes the Yankees out of the mix with Mark Teixeira. The only want I see the Yankees getting involved with Manny Ramirez is if the market falls apart for him and he has to scramble for cover.
Shameless plug: I’m scheduled to be on SNY’s The Wheelhouse at 5:30 p.m. (ET) with Brian Custer, Scott Ferrall and Brandon Tierney.
Brett Gardner for Rick Ankiel. make it happen cashman.
Say No to Lowe. I’d take AJ (only for 4 yrs) or even Sheets (with a conditional 2 yr deal) before I’d get Lowe.
Pete better you than me I cant bear to listen to Ferrall his voice to me at least is intolerable. I like Brian Custer and Brandon but Farrall no way
Yeah, get Ankiel. Maybe they can use him as a pitcher on occasion too.
I would love to see Pettitte settle in at #4 and Joba at #5. Then let Burnett or Lowe or Sheets (my vote) settle in at #3. That would be a fine pitching staff.
throw a monkey wrench into the wheel house when your done. just to see what happens…
Its not going to happen. AJ has a full, 5 year offer from the Braves. The Yankees won’t match that offer, IMO.
They could still sign Sheets and Lowe. That would put Andy out of the mix.
I’d do the Lowe deal. Another innings eater who would give the Yankees their third 200 inning guy (along with Wang and CC) in the rotation.
If they sign Lowe, whomever takes the deal first between Andy and Sheets is the next guy in.
If Coletti keeps up his stance on Manny, (I’m glad teams are terested because I wouldn’t want him to be unemployed) I’m beginning to believe Heyman that the Yanks could be in it.
I hope Sheets takes the offer the Yanks gave him. 2 years is low risk, and he’s dirty when he’s healthy (31 starts, 3.01 ERA last year).
4 years is too many for Lowe.
I guess that the Yankees have no interest in Oliver Perez.
Ankiel would be a great pickup but he’d be for one year and then we’d have an OF where all 4 of our plays (Damon, Matsui, Nady, Ankiel) would all be in their walk years. I’d love to bring him in but I’d certainly push Boras for an extension now in this market as compared to renting him. Kennedy can go for a Rick Ankiel.
Now, I hate Manny and I think he has no respect for anyone or anything. But I do wonder if somehow Jeter, Mo, Posada (the enforcer) could keep him in line and get good effort from him?
Boston never really tried to keep him in line, all the “Manny being Manny” crap.
Not saying I want him, but if we went that route, I wonder if someone can actually make a human being out of him. If so, obviously his bat would be great to have, and a nice jab to Boston if he comes here, cuts that damn hair, and plays hard everyday, for US….
i cant believe there are some yankee fans still thinking the yanks will land Tex. Does anyone else find it funny that the angels are sweating on Teixera not resigning b/c he wants to be on the east coast after all the hoopla with cc and how everyone was saying it was west coast or bust?
Kyle-Great description. Sheets does have dirty stuff. If we can sign Sheets and Lowe we can put Joba in the pen for good and have a monster back end of Veras, Marte, Joba and Mo. We’d have one of the best rotations and pens in the game which should equal wins. Lots of them.
Torre probably would have gone a long way in keeping Manny in line. Not giving him credit for doing that in LA (his impending free agency probably did that), but he is a father-figure type of guy that Manny might actually respect enough to behave for.
The guy is a child though, so I don’t know that I trust him nearly enough to want him on the Yankees.
Dear Pete,
Would it be possible for your tech guys to program a virus that instantly sets fire to any PC that is responsible for a post on this blog suggesting we should put Joba back in the pen?
Thanks.
Chris NY-You know what else is funny about any Manny to Yankees talk? Everyone brings up his hair and how he’d never shave. I was watching the Pedro-Zim game and if you look Manny had a medium fro with no facial hair at all. If he did that he could play in the Bronx. Do I think he will? NO. I think he’ll be an Angel or Dodger but its possible we get him on the cheap if he can only find short term deals. We’d probably have to move Damon or Matsui to bring another corner OF in though. I would love to see how Arod would relax if he had a bat like Manny’s behind him though…
Chris NY-Thats virus line was funny. I’m actually in favor of him being in the rotation so I’m not arguing that but the rotation is a numbers game and in they’re talking about two other FA starters on top of Sabathia AND maybe Pettitte as well its just a matter of him being pushed out. And lets face it the back of the rotation is stronger with him there than not so it wouldnt be a bad thing. I’m not saying he should be moved I’m just saying that its a possibility depending on who they sign at this point. This is a good pitching market and Ca$hman is taking advantage as I hope he would.
Pete, I still think your wrong and if they sign sheets and andy they can still sign Tex. Think CC,Wang,Joba,Sheets,Petitte. Sheets is low cost and Petitte will have to take a pay cut,there is still money to spend. Why not sign Tex to lock up first base for a long time and if not then maybe Manny on a short term deal, they do need some help with the lineup also.
yeah, gianthinker, he didn’t always have those dreadful locks… He’d cut his hair in a second if we actually wanted him. Damon certainly did.
Burnett for 4 with a vested 5th year is not bad when he is age 32 and you have a stocked farm.
Lowe at 35 for 4 is not great.
Sheets and Pettitte, Sheets and Pettitte…
Burnett, Sheets, Pettitte cost is maybe $40-42 million in 09, $28 million in 10….
In the NL, Lowe looks great…..in the AL East…..another story.
how much would ollie perez cost? how long a deal? what are the pro’s and con’s of him vs. pettite? anyone know? tx.
Sheets is a better match, since he has strikeout stuff and will be short term
PETER-
I have to disagree with you on this one. Look, Randy Johnson, Kei Igawa & J-Wright have experience pitching in the AL East… so why not sign them?
I know I’m being harsh… BUT, please… Don’t mention what Lowe did in the Al East 5 years ago as a reason to sign him. The guy was terrible his last few years pitching in BOS. Batting avg against, walks-2-whiff ratio… All that jazz. Sure, his numbers dropped pitching in the NL West… but even then his HR total skyrocketed.
Lowe is not worth 70-80 million dollars. I’m sorry. You claim he’s a bargain b/c of his experience and the fact he’s only looking for 4 years. YIKES! 80 million is a bargain? Imagine Lowe pitching to a 5 era this year… Want to be seeing him pitch in NY in 2011? NO WAY!
Ben Sheets could be had for a three year deal, under 40 million. Ben Sheets is twice the pitcher Lowe is.
Lowe will get hit and hit hard by BOS, TB, TOR, BALT. I’m sorry… he will. He’ll start walking people again… and… with his ever-increasing HR total… That means LOTS of 3-run bombs and a chorus of boos.
SO… how does signing an average 36 yr-old NL pitcher for 80 million dollars… how does this fit in with the plans to get younger, lower payroll, avoid NL pitchers?
I realize he’s durable, never misses a start, has had SOME success in the post season… I hear all that. BUT, wouldn’t the Yanks be paying Lowe for what he’s done in the past? You said yourself that the Yanks need to start paying people for what they’ll do in NY, not for what they’ve already done.
SO… I would take the money the Yanks have set for Lowe and give that money to Manny… 4 years and 80 million; I would then turn around and sign Ben Sheets for 3 years and 33 million; re-up Pettitte for one year at 14 million.
CC-Sheets-Wang-Pettitte-Joba
Jeter-Arod-Manny-Posada-Matsui-Nady-Cano-Swisher-Garnder/Melky.
Damon-Matsui-Nady-Gardner-Melky basically rotate around in the OF, giving the older guys rest (and insurance just in case Melky/Gardner flop).
when they sign Tex, there will be egg on your face, dude !
Frags-
You are right on about Lowe. I don’t think that he’ll be eating all that many innings when he is getting pounded unless Girardi is going to leave him out there every fifth day.
I would rather take a gamble on Sheets or AJ.
I agree Matt Frags – I hate the idea of signing DLowe for this kind of $$ when they can go a little more and sign AJ. I would much rather go w/ Sheets and Pettitte if no AJ. Lowe was horrible his last season in the AL Eastand at age 36 this would be a terrible sign imo.
I agree with the general sentiment here that 4 years and $60 million is too much for Lowe. Lowe for two years would be a great signing (obviously not possible), and would be a decent signing for three years. I’m not for giving AJ 5 years and $80 million but its more defensible than that much for Lowe. At least, AJ has elite stuff and is 4 years younger. I’d assume you can insure against injury risk, you can’t insure against deteriorating effectiveness.
If I were Cashman, I’d look to wrap up Pettite quickly. Then I’d make a run at Sheets. If Sheets is too expensive, I might look at someone like Jamie Moyer on a 1-2 year deal before I’d go 4-5 years of big money for Lowe and AJ respectively. In addition to not being worth those contracts, those commitments would block the paths of Brackman, Bettances, et al.
Sign SHEETS!!!!
Over the last three years, Lowe has posted a 2.95 ERA in Dodger Stadium and 4.24 ERA on the road. Don’t be surprised when Lowe’s performance in the AL East is a lot different from Chavez Ravine.
Agree with Frags- am totally against Lowe- I root against him so I do not want him on the Yanks. Ed Whitson redux, except Whitson was a better pitcher. It would be great if we were only in on this to boost his price for Boston or another competitor.
I don’t see Manny or Tex on NYY. Just my 2 cent$.
k
Has anyone looked at Lowe’s last 2 years (2003-04) with the Red Sox, pretty ugly. His won/loss record (31-19) wasn’t bad, probably a result of the team more than his pitching. However he pitched 386 innings over those 2 seasons, he allowed 447 hits and had ERA’s of 4.47 and 5.42! If he comes back to the AL and 4 years older, I think those numbers will only get worse.
I’d sign Sheets, bring back Pettitte and then really make a statement and sign Teixeira!